Marquise
Once the bird had flown off, his eyes slowly returned to Kaede, showing that he thought Kaede was clearly no threat to him. “Hmm? Oh, yes, it’s odd how they have send you to fix the land’s problems all by yourself.” Then as if he was already continuing the conversation, Kaede asked about them. Marquise licked his top lip, his tongue pausing at the top of his mouth. “I suppose I know a fair bit, but how important is the information to you? Would you be willing to answer a riddle for it?”
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It took a while for the sentence to really register in his mind, and then it did, and Kaede realized that Marquise was referencing the quest that he’d been sent on. He blinked, confusion settling over his face. How did he know that? It was wild. It honestly amazed him more than even scared him at this point, as Marquise was already being established as a good person in his mind. “I find it odd too!” He nodded in agreement. “You’d think they’d get a local or something but anyway, they must’ve chosen me for a reason. Or I just like to think I’m that special.” He chuckled at his own joke.
So, Marquise did know about them. He wasn’t sure how important he should reveal the intel being to him, so he just bypassed that question, lifting an eyebrow in intrigue. “Yeah, okay, sure. What’s the riddle, hit me.” Kaede was thinking that it wasn’t going to be an easy riddle, but he knew that he probably shouldn’t assume anything with this guy, who had only been full of surprises until now.
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Marquise
“No, not a local. A local would be much to prejudice against one of the sides. No, no, it had to be an outsider.” When Kaede added that he was special, Marquise laughed along too, a quiet, closed-mouthed, and humble one. “Now I can see why you were selected for this task, you have the confidence, an much admired trait.”
Kaede wanted information and so asked for the riddle. Crossing his arms over his chest, Marquise nodded. “They follow and lead, but only as you pass. Dress yourself in darkest black and they are darker still. Always they flee the light, though without the sun there would be none.”
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Marquise was right, now that he thought about it—an outsider who knew nothing of the conflicts would probably be best to handle such a dispute. It just didn’t sit right with him that he was tasked with such an important job and that he could just leave the area if it got bad, and the locals would be the ones who had to deal with the consequences. The man laughed along with him at his joke, and Kaede grinned cheekily, lifting his eyebrows slightly. “Thank you, I think. Confidence is power and all that.”
He thought for a moment, his brows furrowing. He thought of a few ones he saw the potential of being correct but he glanced up at Marquise, a hand raised in a wait gesture. “Is this like a one try thing or do I have an unlimited amount of tries? I think I know the answer but do I get to try again if I get it wrong?”
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Marquise
“Confidence is power in the right power,” Marquise agreed. “Confidence comes from discipline and training.When you have a lot of confidence and you feel like nobody can beat you, it’s game over for everyone else.”
Kaede was trying Marquise and he knew it. Marquise would not suffer fools. “If you have the confidence for the task and believe you can do this, then you answer the riddle correctly in one turn.”
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A smile pulled at Kaede’s lips and he nodded at Marquise’s words. “Yeah, if the confidence is valid, one that can be backed up, it truly can be the make or break of a fight. Cockiness though.” He let out a breath, his brows drawing together. “Cockiness can be fatal.”
He chuckled dryly, a sheepish smile playing across his lips. Kaede should’ve expected their previous conversation about confidence would segue into the talk of this riddle. “Yes, of course,” he mumured. He thought about it for a few seconds more, noticing that his instincts pulled at one more than the others. Remembering what Marquise had been saying about confidence, he settled upon it, the words falling like snow from his lips. “Shadows. They’re shadows,” he said finally, looking up at Marquise.
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Marquise
Marquise nodded. “So tell me, Kay, are you cocky?" A cool, warm breeze blew through the trees. Though Marquise seemed untouched, not even the smallest flap of fabric amongst all his leather moved in the wind. But as soon as Kaede gave his answer, Marquise’s smile shone a little brighter and all he said was, “Yes.”
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Kaede paused, considering. “I like to think not, but then, assuming I’m never cocky is cockiness in itself, is it not?” He shrugged slightly, a small smile pulling at the corner of his mouth. “I do slip up, overestimate myself sometimes… but that is of human nature.”
He was fairly confident with his response, so when Marquise confirmed the answer as the right one, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. The revelation did bring a self-satisfied smile to his lips, however, one wide with pleasure. “So it turns out I did indeed have the confidence,” he said, the smile able to be heard in his voice. “Am I right to be confident in you to come through with your end of the bargain?”
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Marquise
“Ah, you are wise behind your years, that will go far in this valley,” Marquise responded with his same calmness he had always been using, never showing any hint of stress. Even when Kaede seemed to be testing his word about whether or not he would get the answers he seeked after knowing the correct answer. “Yes, I believe you could be. For the way you are headed is North-East.” He spoke as if he knew of Kaede mission and maybe he did. “Go up this path and head east at the next crossroads.”
@unsungcheerio
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By this point, Kaede had established a positive opinion about Marquise—even though there were many things about him that were intriguing, to say the least, he seemed to be genuine and well-intentioned in his actions. And isn’t that really what it comes down to? So he didn’t doubt the tip that Marquise gave, giving a nod and grateful smile. It was curious how he seemed to know exactly where Kaede needed to go, but then again, this whole mission was curious. “Thank you,” he replied. “For both the sweet words and the help.” He paused, briefly looking up the path before returning his gaze to Marquise. “I hope everyone else I meet on this journey will be as kind as you,” he added, the smile widening across his lips.
Damn reading my past writing is always such a trip
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Marquise
In reply to the last thing Kaede said, his spoken wish, “Don’t be blind. Be on the lookout. Every citizen in these parts has their own wisdom.” Marquise slid off the think branch he was perched and turned, partially. “With that being said, Kay, good luck.” Then he turned and strolled off in the opposite direction, off-path. The tree trunks looked as if they were devouring him in three blinks of an eye, as he strolled between them.
For when he continues, the path keeps at a mild overgrowth where the path is still clear and there aren’t very many foliage obstructions to cut down. 10 minutes at a steady pace, he comes to a crossroads. Which way to head; West, North, or East?
Why’s that?
Sorry, wasn’t sure much you wanted, so feel free to rewrite your own point of view for the second part of this post. (wink)
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“Thank you,” Kaede said in response, giving the old man a grateful nod. He watched him leave, simply out of curiosity, but the trees seemed to swallow Marquise up as he moved off-path. Perhaps they actually did. Stranger things have happened. For a moment, Kaede almost wanted to follow him into the brush, but since he did have a whole mission to complete and not much time to do so, he pulled his gaze away and continued on his way.
This latter part of the path was relatively easy to navigate, as much of the overgrowth didn’t completely overtake the path and so he didn’t have to expend much energy cutting down stray branches and such. As a result, it didn’t take him too long to reach the crossroads, the path splitting into three directions. Marquise’s instructions were the only piece of advice he had on where to go, and so he followed them, walking east with no hesitation.
I find it embarrassing to read something I wrote before idek how to describe it aksdfjghfs but I literally do gymnastics to avoid reading my previous posts most of the time lmaooo
That was exactly what I wanted, so thank you hehe
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Kaede followed his instincts and Marquise’s directed, heading east. It wasn’t long before the cleared. 10 minutes of walking east and he reached a large clearing of only grass and dirt, as well as the sounds of rushing water. He crossed it and the water got louder. The path bent around a tree and straight ahead, Kaede saw where the water was. A roaring river was a few hundred metres away and luckily, there was what seemed to be a rickety bridge over it, to get to the other side.
Aww, you shouldn’t be embarrassed, you’re writing is amazing. (wink)
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Marquise’s directions eventually led Kaede to a a clearing, the path leading off one way while in front of him lay a bridge (though calling it a “bridge” was being generous), stretching across a rushing river. He approached the river with caution, warily regarding the supposed bridge he’d have to use to cross the river. As far as appearances went, the bridge was not particularly shining in that category; it looked like it was nearing the end of its lifespan, to put it nicely. Last thing he wanted was to plunge through the wood and into the rapids below, and so the one foot he put onto the bridge was hesitant, light as he tested the wood to see how much of his body weight it could take.
that’s sweet, but it’s just something about my past self that I find inherently embarrassing aha
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The further along the bridge Kaede crept, the louder the creaking got and the more the planks beneath him wobbled. He felt more and more unsteady. But only a third of the way along, another noise accompanied the creaks. Small grunts and puffs of exertion, then a rattle from the centre. Something, no, someone was climbing along the underside of the planks from the other end. Using them like a horizontal ladder. That someone was reaching an arm over top and righting themselves on top of the bridge.
It was a… troll. Possibly a bulky feminine one under its ragged-clothed exterior and an agro like fire atop her head. She grunted toward Kaede, with a menacing look, and took up a fighter’s stance.